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Homeschooling Fourth Grade: Norse Myths

I have enjoyed this block of Norse myths; I remember doing Greek myths in the fifth grade in my public school education but I never formally did Norse myths so these stories are fairly new to me. It is always very exciting as a homeschooling parent to delve into uncharted lands!

I also think Norse myths fit and match the moral ambiguity the post-nine year change child is discovering in the world. The Norse myths, as they head along toward Ragnarok, also bring forth new depths of emotions in the complexities. Many children are outraged, saddened, in disbelief of the ending.

One other thing that has been interesting to me and my own development as a teacher has been drawing on the blackboard for this block. I wanted to share some of my drawings with you…

I drew this recently……Here is Odin on Sleipner, his eight-legged stallion:

Here is another one of Odin I drew at the beginning of this block; I feel my drawing abilities have improved a lot through this block:

Here is a picture of Freya, the goddess of love and beauty, riding in her chariot with little Noss.

A big view:

And a closer up view:

This block has been one of drawing Celtic braids, knots and forms; poetry, writing, and drawing. We have also done a lot of modeling, both of simple transformational exercises (for example, such as sphere to egg to oval, etc) but also of the human form. I enjoy modeling in the three dimensional realm and then taking parts of it into the two dimensional world through drawing.

Eva, LOL. Thank you! And thank you Apple too!
Lovely to hear from you all tonight…the year has been off to a crisis mode start in many areas outside of my own family, so nice to just breathe for a minute and think of you all!
Many blessings,
Carrie

I can’t wait to do Norse Myths. When I was little, we used to have an old encyclopaedia set with a few colour plate illustrations featuring Norse Myths. I never did get to really read them. But I looked at those illustrations soooo many times. :)
Great blackboard work too , Carrie

Love the drawings! We’re also going through the Norse myths. It’s BIG stuff. Living in a Scandinavian country we have a close relationship (and a “pride” of the past) with these myths, so I’m enjoying it immensely – especially seeing how he connects the myths to the historical knowledge he also has because of the places we’ve traveled and seen. I love seeing how he soaks up some of the strength these myths have, while truly experiencing that there is also a darker side to it…

Stella,
I should know which country you are in by now, but please tell me again. My husband’s family is Danish and his father just had that DNA testing…and his DNA traces back to Viking lines….so Scandinavian things are exciting to us as well around here! We keep thinking for our 25th wedding anniversary we will take a trip alone because all of our children will be 8 and up by then..
Thank you all for your kind wishes!
In Joy,
Carrie

One of these days I’d love to do some family history research. My Nana’s name was Nonah Nordstrom and her mother was from Karlsheim, Sweden. I’d LOVE to go there on a family holiday. But its a long way from New Zealand. Imagine travelling all that way to start a new life…she was an adventurous woman! What was the DNA testing you mentioned, Carrie?

I would not let your child see the pictures in this until the block is over. I did find the pictures okay for me to draw from for chalkboard drawings, though. :) It is just the artwork is very distinctive.
Blessings,
Carrie